Drug Control Agency in Tajikistan has a ritual of burning illicit drugs in front of cameras which is to make an illusion of battling them. ‘On 19th of June this agency burnt about 136 kg of heroin in its special furnaces. Illicit drugs were burnt in front of the commission which consisted of representatives from law-enforcement agencies, and also Swedish journalists from TV company “Strix”’. Usually, several journalists from different companies participate in such events. It is the way to show that this agency is doing something, in reality the situation is different.

136 kg is just the smallest part of all the illicit drugs, which come from Afghanistan. It is the top of the iceberg. This drug was confiscated from minor drug-smugglers, who were trying to earn some money to buy food for their family and now they are sitting in jail. The major drug-smugglers who are dealing with tons of heroin are now sitting in their huge houses and thinking of smuggling another ton.

Of course, I am not defending anyone here, the point is that Drug Control Agency and other law enforcement agencies are struggling against those who are standing on the lowest level of this big hierarchy of drug-dealers, just to keep a record, while those who are on the top of the hierarchy are in good relations with the heads of law-enforcement agencies and do a joint business.